Nice / Cote d'Azur
France · Mediterranean
The French Riviera hides a surprisingly rich underwater world beneath its glamorous surface. The Larvotto Marine Reserve just east of Monaco protects some of the densest grouper and sea fan populations on the northern Mediterranean coast, while canyon walls and rocky reefs around Cap Ferrat and the Lerin Islands shelter scorpionfish, moray eels, and clouds of chromis. Water clarity peaks in summer when thermoclines stack warm surface water above cold blue depths, extending visibility to 25 metres or more.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Live science signals for this reef are still being gathered.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
Fishing
Open to fishing, and the water is busy.
Sources · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
What you will see
30 species across the dive sites here
Mediterranean Moray Eel
Seen 20 days ago
at Lerin Islands Plateau
Least concern
Dusky Grouper
Seen 21 days ago
at Riou Canyon
Mediterranean Nudibranch
Seen 21 days ago
at Riou Canyon
Red Scorpionfish
Seen 26 days ago
at Lerin Islands Plateau
Least concern
Ornate Wrasse
Seen 1 month ago
at Larvotto Marine Reserve
Least concern
Mediterranean Moray
Seen 1 month ago
at Larvotto Marine Reserve
Least concern
Yellow Gorgonian
Seen 1 month ago
at Lerin Islands Plateau
Red Sea Urchin
Seen 1 month ago
at Larvotto Marine Reserve
Brown Meagre
Seen 1 month ago
at Cap Ferrat Wall
Near threatened
Common Octopus
Seen 1 month ago
at Lerin Islands Plateau
Least concern
Mediterranean Slipper Lobster
Seen 1 month ago
at Cap Ferrat Wall
Least concern
Purple Sea Urchin
Seen 1 month ago
at Riou Canyon
Cuttlefish
Seen 1 month ago
at Lerin Islands Plateau
Least concern
Sea Bream
Seen 1 month ago
at Lerin Islands Plateau
Least concern
Sponge (encrusting)
Seen 2 months ago
at Riou Canyon
White Seabream
Seen 2 months ago
at Riou Canyon
Least concern
Peacock Blenny
Seen 3 months ago
at Larvotto Marine Reserve
Least concern
Anthias
Seen 7 months ago
at Cap Ferrat Wall
Least concern
Dentex
Seen 7 months ago
at Riou Canyon
Vulnerable
Sunfish
Seen Jun 2025
at Riou Canyon
Vulnerable
Mediterranean Wrasse
Seen Oct 2024
at Lerin Islands Plateau
Least concern
Long-snouted Seahorse
Seen Aug 2024
at Lerin Islands Plateau
Near threatened
Amberjack
Seen Jul 2024
at Larvotto Marine Reserve
Least concern
Red Gorgonian
Seen year round
at Cap Ferrat Wall
Sea Fan
Seen year round
at Larvotto Marine Reserve
Banded Denifish
Seasonal visitor
at Cap Ferrat Wall
Least concern
Bluefin Tuna
Seasonal visitor
at Riou Canyon
Least concern
Dusky Amberjack
Seasonal visitor
at Cap Ferrat Wall
Least concern
Dusky Grouper Juvenile
Seasonal visitor
at Larvotto Marine Reserve
Fangtooth Blenny
Seasonal visitor
at Cap Ferrat Wall
Dive sites
Larvotto Marine Reserve
dusky grouper · red scorpionfish · yellow gorgonian · sea fan
Cap Ferrat Wall
dusky grouper · mediterranean moray eel · anthias · red gorgonian
Riou Canyon
dusky grouper · white seabream · dentex · amberjack
Lerin Islands Plateau
red scorpionfish · sea bream · mediterranean wrasse · common octopus